


Dinner with the Dursleys

by jilytho



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, Jilytober 2020, Tumblr: jilytober, james is dreamy, jily, jilytober, just a lily internal monologue, vernons the worst always
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-16
Updated: 2020-10-16
Packaged: 2021-03-09 02:48:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,989
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27047506
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jilytho/pseuds/jilytho
Summary: The Dursley Family joins the Evans for dinner. James is not invited but that doesn't stop Lily from mentally comparing everything Vernon does with how James would do it. Happy Jilytober!!
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Petunia Evans Dursley/Vernon Dursley
Comments: 13
Kudos: 88





	Dinner with the Dursleys

When Lily was told the Dursley family would be joining them for dinner, she immediately stood to send James an owl and request he join as well. She barely made it out of her chair when she was stopped by bony fingers wrapping around her wrist, sharp nails digging into the skin. Petunia said she didn’t need any more  _ freaks _ joining them at the table, she didn’t seem to understand that she needed James by her side to hold her back in case she finally just  _ does it _ and sticks her dinner fork into Vernon’s massive neck. Additionally, it would be a great opportunity to properly introduce the boyfriend she missed so much. A real introduction to the parents instead of the quick meet and greet performed at the Platform as they left for winter holidays, Petunia tapping her foot impatiently while James shook her Father’s hand. 

Lily and James had finally gotten together in mid-October after being in a flirty friend state for a full year prior. It had only been 6 days since she hugged him goodbye but she missed him more than she thought possible. 

Lily was quickly told that James was not invited to join them tonight as this was a family only occasion. Her retort of Vernon or any of his family not being Evans' family quickly died on her lips as she saw the sparkling diamond resting on Petunia’s hand that was  _ still  _ wrapped tightly around her. 

No, not a typical dinner at all. A dinner with the family and with Petunia’s new family. With her  _ Fiance.  _ Lily almost threw up just thinking of the word. Thankfully she was able to hold it down this time. She hadn’t been nearly so successful back when she first got the letter with news of the engagement on the first of December. 

Big special ‘Family’ dinner to celebrate the new addition of Vernon to their happy little family. Wrong, wrong, wrong. There was nothing outright terrible about Vernon. As far as Lily could tell, he seemed to be decent to Petunia and to the whole Evans family. In fact, he seemed to love Petty an awful lot, which should have been enough for Lily to accept the union, but it just didn’t feel like enough. Sure, Vernon loved Petunia and Petunia loved Vernon but it felt like such a surface level love. No warmth or passion or deeper layer. No fireworks went off when they looked at each other, the way they did when Lily looked at James, no electricity passed when their fingers brushed each other, no words passed with just a look. Dursley’s version of love was something different, something that Lily could understand the appeal of especially to Petty, but it was just normal. There was nothing electric or special or  _ magical  _ about Petunia and Vernon together. 

Their life together would be fine but just so hollow. Vernon’s idea of love seemed to be guaranteeing that he would be able to buy her things. Guaranteeing that she could live in a nice three bedroom house, with a full fridge, a big telly and car in the driveway. He was a guarantee of safety but not of happiness. 

Lily could certainly see the appeal of safety considering the war that waged just beyond her window. She mused on the benefits of it as she pushed potatoes around her plate, eyes flitting between Petunia and Vernon, who had gone purple while explaining some golf club injustice that he had endured. Lily could have found a safety guarantee boyfriend. She could have dated Amos Diggory, with his big round blue eyes, perfectly manicured smile. Half-blood, decent, smart, Hufflepuff prefect. There was nothing wrong with Amos. Life with him would be pleasant and quiet and safe. There wouldn’t be any waves or fires in her life but there would be peace. 

James was not safe. James was a promise of dancing in hurricanes and laughing in the face of calm. James was fireworks on a Tuesday morning and pub fights just because some tosser favored the Chudley Cannons over James’s beloved Puddlemore. 

No, James was not necessarily  _ safe _ , but he was fun. He was fun and he was loving and Lily knew just like how no day would be boring or mundane, they would also be filled with love and joy and protection. James would never stop her from walking into danger, rather, he’d hold her hand and walk straight into it. He’d jump in front of a wand for her anyday without question, and would never make her feel anything but electric. 

Lily knew deep down that safety and complacency was probably enough for Petunia. That was probably all she’d ever want in a relationship and she would be perfectly content spending her life as Mrs. Dursley. Lily just wanted more for her, didn’t understand how Petunia could be satisfied with so little. Petunia deserved to have her world set ablaze everytime her love looked at her, instead of the cool breeze that Vernon probably elicited in her. 

Lily watched Vernon make some remark about how Mr. Evan’s car was truly ‘perfectly functional, but it really can’t compare to those newer models like mine, you see?’ and couldn’t help but think of how if James was there he’d undoubtedly start to argue with Vernon on the functionality of any car, new or old, compared to the floo network. 

Certainly James wouldn’t eat like that, Lily thought to herself, nose wrinkling up in distaste as Vernon practically shoveled roast into his mouth while not pausing his speech for a moment. James would never have done that. Instead, he’d be schmoozing Lily’s father. James had taken to following muggle football simply for the ability to do just that. She knew he would have spent time carefully crafting opinions on strategy and current players to discuss with her father, who in turn would ask one thousand detailed questions of Quidditch beyond what LIly could hope to answer. By the end of the night James would have Mr. Evans seal of approval, a seal that had taken Vernon half a year to procure. 

She knew that he would have Mrs. Evans’s full, undivided attention the whole time. He would charm her immediately, the same way he charmed every single professor, and drop some cheesy line about her being Lily’s older sister rather than her mum. He would follow the cliche with real compliments about her ability to raise such strong, opinionated daughters like Lily, simultaneously charming the both of them, while complimenting the superb meal she had spent hours on. It didn’t matter how it tasted at all, he would compliment each bit of it and lick his plate clean, rather than critique the slight burn on the carrots with a raised eyebrow like Vernon. 

Furthermore, no sibling of James would sit elbows halfway across the table and use their napkin as a tissue before waving it around the room. No, Sirius was nothing like Marge. If Sirius were there, sitting alongside imaginary James, he would be the perfect wingman to James. Not only would he encourage James’s compliments of Mrs. Evans, Sirius would downright come onto her. He would charm and schmooze and on anyone else it would look disgustingly smarmy but with Sirius’s perfect posh accent and calm smirk, her mother would be blushing like a preteen.

James wouldn’t monopolize the conversation with golf course talk. Rather, he would ask kind questions about her parents and their lives or, if the conversation had been focused on him, would tell enthralling stories about his adventures with his friends. James would be present and engaged in any conversation, even if that meant discussing bridal gowns with Petunia. He would enthusiastically compare the merits of a sweetheart gown to a high neck, even if he didn’t understand what any of the words he was saying meant. Sirius would likely offer to go with her to pick some out and would make some mocking remark about a light up gown that would come off as a perfectly serious and kind suggestion. 

Lily had always felt that one of James’s superpowers was the ability to listen to anyone and give his full undivided attention. He could make anyone feel heard and understood and feel like he was truly interested in what they were saying, regardless of subject matter. Lily used to think it was all a farce and he was just feigning interest but now that she actually knew him she knew that interest was real and genuine. 

Not to mention that the way James looked at Lily would have positively made all the room melt. Vernon looked at Petunia with affection, but it felt like a patronizing sort. The way one looks at a beloved pet or something that  _ belonged _ to them. No, James didn’t look at her like that. James looked at her like she was a beam of sunlight and warmth. He looked at her so deeply and intensely like if he dared to look away, she’d disappear. The affection in his eyes was hot and warm and deep, he knew she did not belong to anyone but herself and he loved her for that. 

If Mr. Evans saw the way James looked at Lily, really looked at her, there would be no way he would misunderstand his intentions. James looked at Lily like she was the only thing he wanted to look at for the rest of his life and Lily knew the sentiment was echoed on her own face. 

Lily watched as Marge strutted out the door without so much as a goodbye tossed over her shoulder. Sirius would have undoubtedly tried to kiss Petunia and Mrs. Evans before leaving with a chastising but affectionate pat on the head from Mr. Evans. Vernon was somehow worse. He was about to join their family but the polite handshake Vernon gave to her father and the uncomfortable kiss on the cheek he gave Mrs. Evans and then Petunia as he exited showed no form of familiarity. He could have given Petunia a high five for all the affection that was in his kiss. He barely even looked at Lily, just grunted in her direction as he shuffled out the door. No that was not how James would exit. He would have stood strong and maintained eye contact with Lily’s father as he shook his hand, would have hugged her mother in that tight, wonderful, ‘I feel I’ve known you for my whole life’ way that James hugs, he would have even tried to hug Petunia but gracefully settled for a light handshake. And no way would James give her that paltry kiss on the cheek and run out. The thought made Lily laugh. James did not know how to hide his emotions and felt no need to hide his affection for Lily. If James didn’t try to completely pull Lily up to her room, she’d be surprised. Still, in front of her parents he would be polite. Nothing too explicit but Lily had no doubt that he would hug her tightly, one arm wrapped around her neck and into her hair, the other tightly around her back pulling her closer and burning her with every touch. Then he’d slowly lean down and kiss her, just once so as to not offend the family, and soft but utterly mind robbing. Even without deepening the kiss, she knew he could make her toes curl and her brain go numb. Then he’d pull away, kiss her lightly on the forehead, which was somehow even more intimate, and whisper goodbye before walking out slowly, looking back at her just the once, hazel eyes glowing, before apparating. 

No, perhaps it was best James wasn’t invited that night. He would positively blow Vernon out of the water. Best to let Petunia shine for the night. James would help Lily shine for the rest of her life. 


End file.
